United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Sierra National Forest 1991 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ... ... ............ ... 1-1 11 Purpose of the Forest Plan ......... .... ... ........1-1 12 Relationship of the Plan to Other Plans ......... .. ..... 1-1 13 ForestPlanImplementationProcess ..... .. 1-2 1.4 Forest Plan Amendments, Revisions, and Appeal Rights ... ....... 1-2 15 Orgamtion and Use of the Forest Plan ... .. .. .. 1-2 16 Vicinity ... ......... ........ 1-3 1I Management Prescription Process ....... .. ..... .. 1-3 2.0 PUBLIC ISSUES AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS. .. ......... ........ 2-1 2.1 Summaryoflssues ... ............................. 2-1 2 2 Resolution of Issues ...... .. ....... .... .... 2-1 23 GeneralIssues ..... ............................ 2-5 3.0 SUMMARY OF THE ANALYSIS OFTHE MANAGEMENT SITUATION ............... 3-1 3.1 SoaalEnmronment .... ....... .... 3-1 32 The Economic Enwonment ........ ..... 3-1 33 Recreation ..... ... ... 3-1 3.3 1 Developed Recreation . ... ............. ..... 3-2 3 3 2 Dispersed Recreation . .. .. 3-2 3 3 3 Other Recreational Areas . ........... ...... 3-2 34 VisualResources . ....... .... 3-2 3.5 Wllderness .... ........ .......... 3-3 36 Wild and Scenic Rivers . ............... .. 3-3 3.1 FisheryResources ..... ........ ...... ... 3-3 3.8 Wildlife Resources . ...... ...... .. , 3-4 3 8 1 Wildlife Species . .......... ... 3-5 3 8 2 Forest Diversity .............. .... 3-8 39 Riparian Areas. ..... ....... .... 3-10 3.10 Sensitive Plants . ... ........ .. 3-10 3.11 Range ..... ... ... ...... 3-12 3.12 Timber .... ........ .. .. .. 3-12 3.13 Integrated Pest Management . .... .. ........ 3-13 3 14 soils .. ............. ..... 3-13 3.15 Water ...... .... ...... 3-13 3 16 Minerals ...... ...... ...........3-14 3 11 Lands .... .. ............ 3-14 3.18 Hydroelectric Development .. .... ... ... 3-14 3 19 Cultural Resources ........ ........... ..... 3-14 3.20 SpecialAreas .... ......... ... 3-15 3.20 1 Special Interest Areas . ........... ... 3-15 3 20.2 Research Natural Areas . ... .... ... ... 3-16 320.3 ExperimentalForest ... ...... .......3-16 3 20.4 Experimental Range . .. ...... .. .... 3-16 3 20.5 Kmgs River Special Management Area .... .. ..... 3-16 3.206 NationalNaturalLandmarks .... ....... .. .... 3-16 3.21 Transportation and Facilities ...... .. .... 3-16 3.22 Air ........................ ........ 3-11 3.23 Protection .... ....... .... ........ ...3-11 4.0 MANAGEMENT DIRECTION . ........ .. ......... 4-1 4.1 Introduction ....... ..... ... .. ....... 4-1 4 2 Foreshnde Goals and Objectives ............. .... .... 4-1 4 3 Future Condition ....... .... ...... ...... 4-2 4.3.1 ForestTheme . ............. .... .. 4-2 4.3.2 Social Condition ................................ 4-2 4 3 3 Economics .............................. .4-3 43.4 Recreation ...................... .......... .4-3 4 3 5 Vmal Resources .............................. .4-3 436 Wdderness .......... ........... ... 4-3 4 3.7 Wild and Scenic Rivers ............. ... .........4-3 4 3 8 Fish, Wildlife, and Sensitive Plants . ..................... .4-4 4 3 9 Riparian Areas. ....................... ..........4-4 4310 Range.. ............. ...................... .4-4 4.311 Tmber ............................ .... ..4-5 4 3 12 Integrated Pest Management .... .................. ..4-5 4.3.13 Diversity ......................... .. ...4-5 4 3 14 Soil and Water ......... ......... ........... .4-6 4.3 15 Minerals ........................... .........4-6 43.16 Lands . ......... .. ....................... 4-6 4 3.17 Hydroelectric Development ............... ......4-7 43.18 CulturalResources ..... .............. .... .4-I 4 3 19 Special Areas ............................. .4-I 4 3 20 Transportation and Facihties . .............. ....4-8 4 3 21 Protection ................................... .4-8 4 4 Management Prescriptions ........ ................ .4-9 4.4.1 Wilderness .............................................. .4-9 4 4 2 Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers . ................. ....4-9 4.4 3 Mmimum-Level Management ............................. 4-9 4 4.4 Limited-Timber Yield. .... ............... ...4-10 4.4 5 Modified-Timber Yield ............................... 4-10 4.4 6 Full-Timber Yield ...... ................... 4-10 4 4 I Developed Recreahon ............... ...........4-10 44.8 AdmhtrativeSites ..... .......... ........ 4-10 4 4.9 Special Interest Areas ........................ 4-11 4.4.10 Special Management Area . ......... .... 4-11 4 4 11 Experimental Forest ...................... ...4-11 4.4.12 Experimental Range. ........ ....... .. ..... 4-11 4.4.13 Research Natural Areas ...................................... 4-11 4.4.14 Land Exchange .................. ... ........4-11 4 4.15 Dispersed Recreation ....................... 4-11 4.4.16 Front Country ......... ... ..................... 4-12 4 5 Management Standards and Guidelmes ..................... ......4-12 4.5 1 Orientation ............. ........... ..........4-12 4 5 2 Forestwide Standards and Guidelines ............. ... ......4-12 4.5 2.1 Recreation ...................... 4-12 4 5.2 2 Vinal Resources . ........ ........4-13 4.5.2.3 Wilderness .................... .. .. 4-14 4 5.2.4 Wild and Scenic River ......... ..........4-14 4.5 2 5 Fish, Wildhfe, and Sensitive Plants .......... 4-14 4.5.2.6 Ripadan.. ................................... 4-17 45.2.7 Range ... ......................... 4-18 4.5.2.8 Tmber ..... .................. 4-18 45.2.9 Diversity .................... ...........4-20 4.5.2.10 Integrated Pest Management ..................... 4-20 4 5.2.11 Soil and Water ................. .........4-20 4.5 2.12 Minerals ...... .. ................. 4-21 4 5.2.13 Lands ..................... ........4-22 4.5.2 14 Hydroelectric Development .... ... ........4-23 4.5.2.15 Cultural Resources ................. ........4-24 4.5.2.16 Transportation and Facilities ...................... 4-24 4.5.2.17 Air Quahty ....................... ... 4-25 4 5.2.18 Protection ..... ............... ...... .4-25 4.5.3 Applicable to All Analysis Areas in Developed Recreation Management Area 1 ....4-26 4 5.4 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 2 (Merced River Canyon) .....4-26 4 5.5 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 14 (Fish Camp) .......... 4-26 4.5.6 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 17 (Bass Lake) .............4-26 4.5.7 Apphcable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 28 (Mammoth Pool) .... .... 4-27 45.8 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 47 (Huntington Lake) .......... 4-27 4.5.9 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 45 (FIorenceEdison Lakes) ..... 4-27 4.5.10 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 36 (Shaver Lake) ......... 4-28 4 5.11 Applicable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 55 (CourtrightNishon Reservoirs) . 4-28 4 5 12 Apphcable to Developed Recreation Analysis Area 65 (Pime Flat Reservoir) ........4-28 4 5 l3 Applicable to AU Dispersed Recreation Analysls Areas in Management Areas 2 and 11 . 4-28 4.5.14 Applicable to Analysls Areas 3 and 48 m Management Area 11 ............... 4-29 4.5.15 Apphcable to AU Timber Analysis Areas in Management Area 4 ............4-29 4.5.16 Apphcable to Analysis Areas 22 and 49 in Management Area 4 ...............4-29 4 5.17 Apphcable to Analysis Area 70 in Management Area 9 .................... 4-29 4.5.18 Applicable to Analysis Area 15 in Management Area 4 ...................4-29 4 5 19 Applicable to Analysis Area 35 in Management Area 4 ...................4-29 4.5 20 Applicable to Analysis Area 75 in Management Area 9 .................... 4-30 4.5.21 Apphcable to Analysis Area 61 in Management Area 4 ..................... 4-30 4.5.22 Apphcable to Analysis Area 73 in Management Area 9 .................... 4-30 4 5 23 Applicable to AU Front Country Analysis Areas m Management Area 5 .........4-30 4.5.24 Applicable to Analysis Area 1~tl Management Area 5 ..................4-30 4.5 25 Applicable to Analysis Area 29 in Management Area 5 .................... 4-30 4.5.26 Applicable to All Analysis Areas in Management Area 12 ...................4-30 4 5.27 Applicable to All Wdderness Analysis Areas in Management Area 3 ...........4-30 4.5.28 Applicable to AU Wilderness Analysis Areas except 39 in Management Area 3 (John Mw, Ansel Adams, Dinkey Lakes, Monarch) ...................4-31 4.5.29 Applicable to Wdderness Analysis Area 39 in Management Area 3 (Kaiser) ...... 4-31 4.6 Summary of Acreage Distribution by Management Prescription and Areas ..............4-33 4.7 Forestwde Table of Commodity Outputs and Costs ............. ..........4-34 4.8 Management Area Prescriptions, Practices. Outputs, and Activities ................4-38 4.8.1 Management Area 1 ..... ............................. 4-38 4.8.2 Management Area2 ..................................... 4-40 4.8 3 Management Area 3 .................................. 4-42 4.8.4 Management Area 4 ........................................ 4-44 4 8.5 Management Area 5 ..................................... 4-46 4.8 6 Management Area 6 ........ .......................... 4-48 4.8.7 Management Area 7 ..... ............................ 4-49 4.8.8 Management Area 8 ........................ ...........4-50 4 8 9 Management Area 9 .................................... 4-51 4.8.10 Management Area 10 ........................................ 4-52 4 8.11 Management Area 11 ................................ ... 4-53 4.8.12 Management Area 12 .................................... 4-55 5.0 MONITORING